GOVERNMENT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES 
0 
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND NATURAL RESOURCES 
4611 Tutu Park Mall 
Suite 300, 2nd Floor 
St. Thomas, VI 00802 
(340) 774-3320 
45 Mars Hill, Frederiksted 
St. Croix, VI 00840 
(340) 773-1082 
dpnr.vi.gov 
 
Office of the Commissioner 
 
Contact: Jamal Nielsen, Media Relations Coordinator 
jamal.nielsen@dpnr.vi.gov 
 
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
 
DPNR HOSTS BOOK READING & SIGNING EVENT FOR  
A BRAVE NEW BEGINNING: THE STORY OF KJ BY DR. KEVIN DIXON 
Commissioner Jean-Pierre L. Oriol of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources 
(DPNR) is proud to announce a special literary event featuring local author Dr. Kevin Dixon. 
Join us for a reading and book signing of his inspiring work, A Brave New Beginning: The 
Story of KJ, on Saturday, October 25th at 3:30 p.m. at the Florence Williams Library, located 
at 1122 King Street, Christiansted. 
Amy Desorbo, Director of the Division of Libraries, Archives and Museums (DLAM), shared 
her enthusiasm: 
“This is a milestone worth celebrating. Dr. Dixon has crafted a powerful coming-of-age 
story rooted in Caribbean culture that speaks directly to the hearts of our youth. His book is 
not only timely and culturally rich, but it also aligns beautifully with DLAM’s mission to 
empower young minds through literature. 
KJ’s journey of resilience, courage, and personal growth offers valuable lessons for 
navigating life’s challenges. I especially appreciated the nightly prayer reflections and the 
thoughtful reading comprehension activities included at the end. These tools are essential 
for helping children transition from learning to read to reading to learn, starting as early as 
second grade.” 
For more information or to RSVP, please contact DLAM Director Amy Desorbo at 
amy.desorbo@dpnr.vi.gov.